CHILDHOOD
CHRISTMAS
Christmastime at our house
Was such a joyous thing;
There was much anticipation
Of what the day would bring.
Was such a joyous thing;
There was much anticipation
Of what the day would bring.
For many months prior,
The list making would begin;
There were so many things I wanted,
On pure memory I couldn't depend.
The list making would begin;
There were so many things I wanted,
On pure memory I couldn't depend.
I carried handy 'round with me
A trusty little list.
There was not one single thing,
I wanted my parents to miss.
A trusty little list.
There was not one single thing,
I wanted my parents to miss.
And every year, without a doubt,
I couldn't ask for any better,
For I 'd get everything on my list,
Down to the very letter.
I couldn't ask for any better,
For I 'd get everything on my list,
Down to the very letter.
The night before, my brother and I,
Would always try our best;
To catch ole Santa in his tracks,
So we'd get little rest.
Would always try our best;
To catch ole Santa in his tracks,
So we'd get little rest.
We'd try to keep ourselves alert,
With a flashlight by our side;
But, every year ole St. Nick
Would cleverly by us slide.
With a flashlight by our side;
But, every year ole St. Nick
Would cleverly by us slide.
We must have fallen fast asleep,
Before the morning's light;
Because our toys appeared miraculously,
Sometime through the night.
Before the morning's light;
Because our toys appeared miraculously,
Sometime through the night.
In our den, the floor was covered,
With toys of every kind;
The sheer volume of them all,
Would surely blow your mind.
With toys of every kind;
The sheer volume of them all,
Would surely blow your mind.
We'd jump around from here to there,
And squeal with pure delight;
We couldn't have concealed our excitement,
If we tried with all our might.
And squeal with pure delight;
We couldn't have concealed our excitement,
If we tried with all our might.
Later on in the day,
The relatives would pour in;
For the traditional Christmas dinner,
With us and all our kin.
The relatives would pour in;
For the traditional Christmas dinner,
With us and all our kin.
We's have such an array of food,
Usually, specialties of the South;
One year, we even had a whole roasted pig,
With an apple in his mouth.
Usually, specialties of the South;
One year, we even had a whole roasted pig,
With an apple in his mouth.
We'd exchange gifts and laughter,
And each other's company enjoy ;
The men would often help assemble,
Some child's complicated toy.
And each other's company enjoy ;
The men would often help assemble,
Some child's complicated toy.
Way into the night;
And after all was said and done,
We felt everything went just right.
Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia-A Life in Poems
by Patricia Neely-Dorsey, Copyright © 2008
MERRY CHRISTMAS, Y'ALL!
